Southern Exposure: A Twilight Rendition
by MsRed
Summary: Bella's move to Forks are for all the same reasons. The circumstances that meet her IN Forks are not. The Cullen family is all accounted for, but they are not who you expected. : Rated M to be cautious. AR/OOC
1. Welcome Home

**Author's Note: This is my first FanFic. I have been reading Twilight FanFics for almost a month now, and I am hooked. There are so many great writers here! So, I am going to try my hand at this. ****As far as reviewing, I won't be pushy, but it would be nice.**** :) And please, don't hold back. I deeply appreciate your honestly.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own and of the Twlight Saga nor it's Characters. I am merely borrowing it all :)**

**Also, any direct usage from any of the Twilight books will be in Italics.**

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**Chapter One: Welcome Home**

*~*

_My mother drove me to the airport with the windows rolled down. It was seventy-five degrees in Phoenix, the sky a perfect, cloudless blue. I was wearing my favorite shirt- sleeveless, white eyelet lace; I was wearing it as a farewell gesture. My carry on item was a parka._

_In the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington State, a small town named Forks exists under a near-constant cover of clouds. It rains on this inconsequential town more than any other place in the United States of America. It was from this town and its gloomy, omnipresent shade that my mother escaped with me when I was only a few months old. It was this town that I'd been compelled to spend a month every summer until I was fourteen. That was the year I finally put my foot down; these past three summers, my dad, Charlie, vacationed with me in California for two weeks instead._

_It was to Forks that I now exiled myself- an action that I took with great horror. I detested Forks._

_I loved Phoenix. I loved the sun and the blistering heat. I loved the vigorous, sprawling city._

The situations that have lead me to this decision,a decision of love and sacrifice, are not bad, nor are they ominous. I am once again doing the right thing for my mother. The role I was born into was not an easy one, but it wasn't the worst either. Raising an adult as your child had it's downs, but it also had it's ups. That is one thing that I can now look forward to, is a break from playing the Mom role.

I will miss her, no doubt.

I will be unaccustomed to waking up each day without my mother rummaging through the house looking for the keys she held in her hands or the rock music blaring from the bathroom that most women her age cringe at. But I will survive. She loves Phil, her new husband, and I am at a place in my own life where I can rightly sacrifice myself for a new experience to allow her the freedom to have her own. I know how hard it has been staying home with me while her new husband travels around the country playing ball and having so much freedom. The type of freedom that my mother craves with all her whimsical soul. We will make it.

After the numerous hugs and more hugs at the airport terminal, I boarded my plane waving one last time to my erratic mother who had silent tears pouring down her face. They were tears of joy and guilt. A very domestic and motherly concoction, that made my heart twinge, but I knew this was best for both of us.

It was a very good thing that Phil was there to help her find her car in the massive parking garage.

The trip was long, but not quite long enough. The landing in Port Angeles came sooner that I thought it would. And this wasn't upsetting, neither was the rain that met me outside. This was just how it was going to be.

Charlie met me and ushered me into his squad car, quickly loading up my sparse luggage. Living in Phoenix left much to be desired when it came to my winter wardrobe. Renee had helped me buy a few things here and there in preparation for this trip, but it still didn't amount to much.

The ride home, to my new home, with Charlie, my dad, was quiet. This also was not unexpected. I may look like Renee, my mother, but I acquired my old soul, as Renee calls it, from Charlie. We are the suffer in silence type, and neither of us minded.

"That is a nice parka, Bells, it'll do you good here." Charlie said, finally breaking the silence. "Thanks dad. Mom and Phil bought it for me as one of my many going away presents." I replied, quietly. And that was the extent of the conversation.

There really wasn't much to say, as all of my arrangements here in Forks had already been made. I had planned on buying a car once arriving, even saved up a nice chunk of cash to do so, but Charlie called a week before my departure from Forks to notify me that he already had that taken care of. I am sure he could hear me blushing through the phone, but I made sure to thank him profusely. School arrangements were complete as well. All I had to do was show up at the tiny high school the next day and pick up my new schedule. Easy, right? Sure.

Suddenly, we were pulling into the gas station in Forks. I missed most of the drive, delving in and out of my thoughts. We were already home, in Forks. I even missed the faded turquoise sign that welcomed me so dimly into Forks, population 3, 564... now 3,565. "You getting out?" Charlie asked. "Sure, I need to stretch my legs. I didn't realize we had made it so quickly." I replied as I opened his creaky car door.

Stepping into the small store I felt slightly claustrophobic, but it passed with a few deep breaths. Charlie was paying the man, in cash, for a fill up on pump one, the only pump. Why even bother numbering it? I walked to the back of the cramped store and grabbed a vanilla Coke. I am not really the soda drinking type, but it had been a long trip and I could use a sweet pick me up. I stepped up to the counter to pay for my drink, when Charlie took the drink from me to pay for it himself. I obliged, awkwardly. I wasn't use to people taking care of me.

While the cashier counted his change back, I glanced at the array of fliers and business cards on a small cork-board by the door. I noticed a particularly creepy card advertising for a dentist in town. A large smiling mouth, mainly teeth, glared back at me. No other facial features, just the mouth. Maybe it is odd that it creeped me out, but it did. I thanked Charlie and the cashier for my icy beverage and began to leave the store, but not before reading the name on the mouthy business card. "Dr. Carlisle Cullen, DMD" was written in plain type followed by the address and phone number of the practice. Surely, in such a small town, all that was unnecessary. But who am I to judge?

"I see you guys have gotten a new dentist since my last stint here in Forks." I lamented as I hunkered back down into Charlie's police cruiser.

My last stint, yeah. That was entertaining. Being accident prone Bella, my last summer here, I spent a good three hours with the obviously previous Dr. Oscar Maddox, DMD. I had tripped, over my own feet, and gracefully smashed my face onto a nearby trash receptacle at the gym of the high school. Charlie had taken me to watch the basketball team during one of their many summer practices. The tooth that had to be crowned wasn't a big deal, but the stitches in my lip and four days of bird beak-like swelling was ridiculous.

"Yeah, Dr. Cullen. He is a great guy. He and his wife Esme moved here about three years ago from a town in Alaska." He commented brightly. "He and his family keep to themselves mostly. I thought I would have a good bit of trouble out of them, with them having all those adopted teenagers, but it's nothing compared to the crap these hometown boys give me."

"Well, I certainly hope I don't have to visit him anytime soon. But we know me..." I trailed off, as I stared out the window for the remaining three miles to my new home, in Forks.

_*~*_

_It only took one trip to get all of my stuff upstairs. I got the west bedroom that faced out over the front yard. The room was familiar; it had belonged to me since I was born. The wooden floor, the light blue walls, the peaked ceiling, the yellowed lace curtains around the window-- these were all part of my childhood. The rocking chair from my baby days was still in the corner. The only changes that Charlie had ever made were switching the crib for a bed and adding a desk as I grew. _

That desk now held a computer that Phil had sent ahead of me. A very nice rig that he built himself. If I couldn't do it with this computer, it didn't need to be done. He even jazzed up my case with neon purple LED inserts. Charlie reluctantly added high speed Internet to his cable package so that I could keep in touch with my mother and friends back in Phoenix; it had been a stipulation on my mother's part. It made me glad that she can be pushy; I am sure I will need something to pass the time here, in Forks. I had visited the library here in the past, and I already knew that I had no need to go back there. If I haven't already read what their shelves held, I didn't want to. Which also means the money I saved, by Charlie buying my get away car, would come in handy for trips to the book stores back in Port Angeles and in Seattle.

Thinking about the aforementioned get away car caused a brief feeling of excitement and I expedited my unpacking and hurried back downstairs. There really was no reason to mope around, not today anyway. There would be plenty of time for that each night I was exiled to bed to sleep away the time until the next day started. Even my weekends would be left wide open for grieving, outside of the trips I am planning to the not so local bookstores.

I bounded down the stairs to find Charlie leaning against the kitchen counter, on the phone. He held up a finger to motion he was almost finished with his conversation. "Yeah, sure. We are going to go grab some dinner, then we'll probably be back about the same time you get here. Okay, see you then. Bye." He said, closing up his cryptic conversation, and then laying the ancient cordless phone onto the counter. "Well, Bells, lets get some supper. I'm famished."

*~*


	2. Antiquity

**Author's Note:****I forgot to mention from the start, a lot of the experiences Bella has had, and will have a lot of my own expereinces mixed in. I tried the whole Vegatarian thing a while back. I didn't stick to it, as I feel Bella will. But writing about it has made me interested in doing so, again. And just to make you smile, the incident Bella had with the trashcan, mentioned in Chapter One, that was me as well. Eleventh Grade. :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Twilight Saga, including the Characters. We have SM to thank for them!!**

***Any thing directly from a book in the Twilight Series is in Italics and quotations.**

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**Chapter Two: Antiquity**

"Cause I'm from the front pew of a wooden white church  
A courthouse clock that still don't work  
Where a man's word means everything  
Where moms and dads were high school flings  
Gave their children grandmothers maiden name  
Yes it may not sound like much  
I said it may not sound like much but it's where I'm from  
it's where I'm from"

Where I'm From by Jason Michael Carroll

*~*

Charlie and I got back into his cruiser to make the short trip back into town to spend our evening meal at the Forks Coffee Shop.

Not only is this not a creative name; it wasn't even a coffee shop. This hole in the wall, hot-spot was open bright and early at Five every morning and didn't close until Nine in the evening, which was when the entire town of Forks died it's gloomy death each night. They served tolerable food at barely tolerable prices. I had always been a sucker for their pies and cobblers, but they graced this ghost town with multi-ethnic variations of cuisine. Whether you were in the mood for a Gyro, Shrimp Scampi, Pancakes or Gumbo, you were sure to find something to suit your tastes, if not your taste buds. But this was not the case with Charlie. He was a man. A man who enjoyed his meat and potatoes to no end. I could probably order for him and not miss a thing.

As we pulled into the cramped parking lot, I had a very clear flashback:

_"Isabella Swan, now __**this is ridiculous." **__Charlie swore without swearing. His frustration was evident within each syllable. _

_I was twelve years old, soon to be thirteen. I had been responsible for the cooking at Renee's house, for three years now. We were at the Forks Coffee Shop for supper. Charlie was not a man who could cook,even if he cared to try. He refused to let me cook, stating that was a adults place not a childs. Yet, we were sitting at a tiny table by the window, in a Diner, trying to order our meal, to no avail. _

_After much research and the simple task of recognizing my own tastes, I had chosen to become a vegatarian. I still ate eggs and consumed dairy products, but I dodn't eat meat, at all. Charlie, as a man couldn't fathom such a horrific thing. As a father he was concerned I wasn't going to be able to grow and thrive living off of grass, as he put it._

_"Dad, I do NOT want baked chicken. I do NOT want a steak. I do NOT want smoked salmon. I do NOT want green eggs and ham, Sam I Am." I cracked off with a grin. That broke up his mood a little and his furrowing brow subsided slightly. "Bells, there is no way you can make it through life eating beans and lettuce." He stated with exasperation thick in his voice. I pulled the corners of my mouth up into a peaches and cream smile and turned to Eileen, the waitress who had been standing there enjoying the Chief of police arguing with his twelve year old daughter, and said, "Eileen, I will have the large tossed salad with extra eggs, sliced not diced and no cucumber." _

_"Sure Bella, what type of dressing would you like?" She asked me inquisitively. I am sure she was wondering why such a thourough request would not include my dressing prefernece. "None, thank you, Eileen. Table salt and tons of pepper does wonders with lettuce." I replied back, ainticipating a look of disgust. She only shrugged, and walked away to call out our order._

"Bella, are you going to get out and come inside, or are you expecting Eileen to come out rollerskating with your alfalfa sprouts?" Charlie asked humorously, which snapped me right out of my thoughts. "Would she do that?" I shot back sporting a smile as I reached for the door handle.

Charlie held the door open for me, like a true gentleman. I walked through the door into the antiquated interior and murmured my thanks. Charlie mumbled his reply and turned to follow me inside, then abruptly stepped on the heel of my shoe, sending me rushing towards the ground. I landed, palms out and elbows down, with only one shoe on. I picked myself up, and turned to see Charlie, most likely matching the deep rose color that was spreading across my pale cheeks, and holding my worn out Sperry that was missing from my right foot. "I..I..I'm SO sorry Bella!" he stammered without grace. "It's okay Dad. Just be mindful that I am a accident waiting to happen, and that I don't need your interference to expedite the onset." I replied sans any emotion.

I continued to the same table that was still fresh in mind from over five years ago, that was to my right and placed gingerly in front of the wide window that took up the entire facade of this small building. I pulled my chair out and sat, without looking around. I already knew all the eyes were one me, I didn't need to have proof of that. Charlie came to join me after saying hello to a few of the townsfolk. Before I could look up to greet him with my now friendly eyes, I was nearly bum-rushed by Eileen and her smooth, but firm embrace. She was chortling on about how much she had missed me, and how much I had grown when Charlie saved me from my mortified state.

"Hey there Eileen. I guess I don't have to reintroduce you to Bella." He chuckled as he held his hands up in mock nonchalance. She straightened up and tugged at the short burgundy apron she sported over her very stylish, yet comfortable black yoga pants. "Sorry about that Bella." she lamented. "It has just been so long since I saw you last. And you really are all grown up. I am so glad you are home!" I smiled a very genuine smile, mostly for her benefit, and said "It's okay Eileen, and it's great to see you as well."

I looked over to my equally shy father and sent him a pleading look. "Well Eileen, we sure are hungry, and I am positive you already know what I'm having." He stated; My dad, the hero. "So, Bella, give Eileen here your order so she can scoot on back there and bring us some Iced Tea." I gave the dog-eared menu a quick glance, then gave Eileen my fairly uncomplicated order. "Alright, I will have the Asparagus Omelet. Extra onions and mushrooms, hold the peppers please." I rattled off. "Oh, and may I please have a side of Hollandaise with that?" I asked politely. "Of course Miss Bella, anything for you." She articulated sweetly as she walked off with our order.

Only minutes later, Eileen returned with out tall glasses of Iced Tea and a basket of heavily buttered dinner rolls. I instantly realized how hungry I really was and snapped up one the rolls before they basket hit the table. I suddenly realized my actions and looked up at Eileen with a total look of repentance and chagrin. She simply smiled and said "Enjoy guys, supper will be out soon."

After nearly swallowing two of the heavenly rolls and gulping down half the glass of tea, I turned to Charlie who was watching me with eyes of distance and love, and if I looked hard enough I thought I could have seen a little bit of awe. I interupted his silent moment of thanks at my arrival in Forks by asking "So dad, what about this car you have so graciously awarded me with?" I continued to pick off pieces off my third dinner roll, and pop them in my mouth, as he glared for an instant, his face quickly turning to a picture of a man deep in thought. I waited, as he absentmindedly stirred his tea with the dull red straw he had placed within the glass a few minutes prior.

He smiled shyly. "Well Bells, once we are done with supper, we are heading straight home, and your... Uh, new car should be there waiting on you." he said with a quiet air of finality. Each word brought a slightly darker shade of blush to his cheeks. He was not being honest about something, but it had been a mostly tolerable day so far, and I wasn't going to ruin it by prying. That stuff worked with Renee, but it would only shut Charlie out and up. I needed him. He was the only person I knew here in Forks, and I needed him on my side, in all respects.

As if to save Charlie and I both from some inevitable conversation about what he was, in fact, hiding, Eileen came gliding out from the kitchen with my omelet and wouldn't you know it, a large steak and a loaded baked potato. Men...

*~*

I ate quickly, barely tasting my omelet, in anticipation of leaving this warm-hearted dump and getting home to my new -to-me car. Charlie, not understanding my eagerness, ate as slowly as he possibly could, or so it seemed. Each bite was chewed thoroughly, swallowed and chased with a sip of Iced Tea.

I was gripping the sides of my padded vinyl chair, my neck, despite the tension, allowing my head to tick-tock from side to side, each movement allowing my long locks to tickle my shoulders. My bottom lip was even suffering; I now had a sore spot on the left side from biting it in frustration.

"Cha----rlie!" I groaned, forgetting first names were a no-no in this backwards town. He looked over at me mid-bite of potato, narrowing his eyes a bit. "Yes, Isabella?" Oh, a low blow. I deserved it. "C'mon Dad, I'm sorry. I just really want to get home to this car. The anticipation is driving me batty!" I exclaimed in a rushed whisper. I was acting childish; so much younger than my normally middle-aged self. He seemed to enjoy this, but decided to cut the tension that was obvious in my slender shoulders. Smiling, he promptly flicked his hand, catching Eileen's attention, and asked for the bill.

*~*

The rain had ceased during our time spent within the Forks Coffee Shop, and what was now visible, wasn't nearly as dreary as I remembered. There was bright green moss and luxurious, thick vines hanging from the ancient trees to form a beautiful canopy of green; of life. There were benefits to near constant rainfall, and this vibrant watercolor scene was top on the list.

The ride home went by quickly, as I was nearly bouncing in my seat. It was odd for Charlie to be so cryptic about something so trivial as a material possession. He had always been very forthcoming with me, and the possible scenarios, that could cause such mysterious behavior, were racing through my head. Nothing made sense or seemed legitimate enough, so I tried to concentrate on what I was going to wear to my first day at Forks High School, instead.

The sound of gravel under the tires of the cruiser brought me back to the present, which was fortunate as my lack of fashionable winter clothing was causing my head to ache. I shook off my previous thoughts and focused my eyes so I could see through Charlie's foggy windsheild. You can briefly take the rain out of Forks, but you can't take the humidity that's left behind.

The site that met my tired eyes was unbelievable to say the least, as their was a tall, dark teenager leaning against the most beautiful car I had ever laid my eyes upon. Beside the boy was a man, who I recognized as Billy, my dad's best friend. Billy looked the same as I remembered him except for the wheelchair that now held his large frame. The magic he had always possessed was still dancing in his eyes, regardless of his permanent dependency of the wheelchair. Before the cruiser was even in park I had my door open and was stepping out into the humid driveway to fully behold this gift from Charlie.

"Well, what do you think, Bells?" Charlie asked, trying to suppress his own enthusiasm, at which he was failing miserably. I could see the teenager that my dad had once been, coming to life behind his creeping crow's feet and receding hair line. He was glowing and now grinning widely. I now understood that there wasn't anything looming behind his evasiveness on the topic of my gift, only his attempt at suppressing his own excitement. Visual excitement and the open sharing of emotions was not something that came easy to Charlie, or myself. The whole charade was clear now, not to mention shattered.

"Dad, all I can say is WOW. I never thought once in a million years I would be able to call such a thing, my own. Thank you, Dad, thank you so much!" I exclaimed as I jumped up and wrapped my arms around his neck, embrassing him tightly in a generous hug of appreciation. This was not an easy feat, as my dad is easily Six foot two, and I am barely over the Five foot mark; but I held him tightly, just for a moment, until he started to shuffle his feet and mumble incoherently. I backed off him, blushing, for at least the eleventh time since my arrival. I decided to take this moment to fully appreciate my new car, visually at least.

Sitting to my right, in my newly claimed parking spot, was a gleaming 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle, and yes, it was a SuperSport. The glossy black paint job was accented with crisp white racing stripes down the hood scoop and the back-end of the car. The classic five spoke rims were sporting brand new tires, that also had a glossy finish. The whole effect of the car was amazing and more than I ever deserved; more than I could ever fully appreciate. It seemed like a small enternity I stood there, with my arms crossed reviewing each and every tiny little detail of this car. Finally, the teenager, I didn't recognized, cleared his throat and I realized the three men were still waiting, and watching. Blushing profusely at my own awe I asked "Charlie, where did you get this car from? It must have cost a fortune!"

"Billy, here, has had that car since he was in high school, and Jacob seems to have a knack with car repair and restoration. When you and your mother called me a few months ago to give me the news of your final decision to move here, Jacob started cleaning this baby up." He replied smugly, as though this magnificent work of art was the doing of his own hands. "And don't worry about the costs. This is Billy's homecoming gift as well, since he gave you the car. If you must know, all I had to cover was the cost of parts, and a little bit of labor. I couldn't have Jacob here, working for peanut butter sandwiches." He smiled in Jacob's direction, who I now acknowledged as the teenager leaning against my car. "But regardless, this is our gift to you. Don't worry about the guy stuff, or the costs. Just enjoy."

And enjoy it, I did.

Without another word, Billy tossed me the keys, which I missed and landed into a fresh mud puddle in our gravel drive way. I quickly picked them up and gave them a shake. I smiled to myself seeing the small pair of black and white dice that were being used as a key-chain; so manly. Dismissing this overdose of testosterone, I opened the driver side door and peered inside at the flawless interior. The inside matched the outside of this glorious car. The seats were covered in flawless black leather and the carpeting smelled new, free of any traces of antiquity. A movement to my left interrupted my inspection, as I looked to see the cause.

"I'd like to ride with you, if you don't mind." Jacob offered. Seeing his features clearly, I had brief memories from summers passed. But this was not the same boy I had spent summers with, fishing, skipping rocks and making mud pies. There were also many times that his older twin sister's and I had taken it upon ourselves to introduce him to women's fashion, but I wouldn't be mentioning that aloud. Not to this striking young man, who was towering over me despite the gap in our ages. "Sure, no problem Jake. I'd love that." I countered back, using the nickname from days passed.

Smiling widely, Jacob walked quickly to the passenger door, opened it and dropped into the smooth leather seat. His legs filled up the space that was alloted for him, but he still looked like he belonged in this car more than I ever would. I climbed on into my own seat, and closed the door behind me. With a small wave to Charlie and Billy, I stuck the key into the ignition and backed out of the drive way, anxious to begin my test drive. Test drive didn't seem like the appropriate term, as the car already belonged to me; joy ride. Yes, Jacob and I wear on a joy ride, on a school night, with permission. This horrible first day in Forks was turning out to not be very horrible at all. Sans the incident at the diner, of course.

I drove down my street slowly, careful to follow the posted speed limit. Caution was my thing, and I saw no reason to test the limits of this car. I knew from random bits of man-talk over the years, that these cars were made of American muscle, and behind all muscle was power. The last thing I needed right now was to take full advantage of the power available and wrap this beautiful piece of metal around the nearest Water Oak. That would most definitely bring back the 'horrible' I had been anticipating.

We took a smooth right hand turn onto the main freeway in Forks, which was void of traffic completely. Jacob and I both instinctively rolled our windows down to feel the fresh damp air on our faces. I reached over and flicked the radio dial, which to my surprise tuned right in to the rock station out of Seattle. Ferocious car and a working radio, what a deal! Driving down the freeway, still at the posted speed limit I began drumming my fingers on the steering wheel to the tune of the song thumping from the speakers. As suddenly as the sound had emerged from the speakers, it disappeared. I snapped my head to the radio to see the reasoning and saw Jacob's hand slowly creeping back into his lap. Thankfully he had only turned the volume down, apparently wanting to talk to me.

"Bella, I don't want to seem rude, but you are wasting this car." He said sadly. Completely confused, "And what do you mean by that, Jacob Black?"

"Well, this car was designed to haul ass, and you are putt-putting down the One-Oh-One. It has been years since these horses have galloped, let them do their thing."

I was initially irritated, being told how to handle my own car by a mere boy, a boy who was looking at me like I had kicked him. I guess he is right. And really, what would it hurt? This day has turned out so much better than I initially suspected it would. What would be the harm of kicking it up a notch, and letting this more than thirty year old car feel the heat of the pavement once again? I decided, against the better judgement of 'middle-aged Bella", that it was time to boogie.

I slowly grinned at Jacob, and hit the gas. His realization of my cooperation was evident when he reached over to turn the volume back up, as high as it would go, matching the smile I now had firmly in place.

*~*


	3. Beginning Of The End

**Author's Note: I'm back!! I am not sure how often I will update, but I have gained a new enthusiasm for finishing things I've started. Also the song that originally caused me to write this FanFic has been running through my head and sneaking up on me at every turn, so I took it as a sign. Please review, I will be needing the encouragement. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Twlight Saga nor it's Characters. I am merely borrowing it all :) **

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**Chapter Three: The Beginning Of The End**

These little town blues, are melting away  
I'm gonna make a brand new start of it - in old new york  
And if I can make it there, I'm gonna make it anywhere

New York, New York by Frank Sinatra

*~*

I woke up at six in the morning, entirely to early, even for a school morning. I squeezed my eyes closed hoping for another hour of sleep, but the thunderous clouds outside had other ideas for me. The pops and booms of the storm mixed with my twisted feelings of excitement and worry, kept me from my intended slumber, so I sat up and stretched like a new born baby. I slowly swung my legs out of bed and onto the cool, antique hard wood floors. I went ahead and turned off my alarm clock; no need to be startled by the aggravating blast when I was already wide awake.

Making my way to the shared bathroom, I listened for the sounds that would surely be coming from below, made by Charlie. Hearing nothing, I turned back to my room and grabbed my well used boom box CD player. Might as well try and get into some sort of mood, other than doomed, for my first day of school here in Forks. I turned on the shower, getting it as steamy as our poor twenty gallon water heater could produce. Placing my most current mixed CD into the boom box, I began to undress from my almost uniform pajamas. Since I can remember boxer shorts and T-shirts scavenged from Good Will were my only choice of night wear.

As I stepped into my steamy and inviting shower, the sounds of Frank Sinatra filled the tiny bathroom, sending much needed notes of joy dancing across the fogged up mirror. I could almost imagine Frank himseld gliding across it to the upbeat tune of "New York, New York", leaving tiny and evenly spaced foot prints in his wake.

As I washed my hair and body with a few of the other going away presents from Mom and Phil, the bathroom was filled with the eclectic mix of Jack Johnson, Zac Brown Band and Alanis Morisette. I was feeling much better already from the tunes I loved the most and the freshness of my new Honeysuckle body wash. The people at Bath and Body Works REALLY know what they are doing, that is for sure.

After dressing, modestly in my opinon, I sat down at my computer to catch up on the happenings in the news from yesterday. Nothing too specatcular going on in Pheonix so far, which is not surprising. Crime and heat; old news. I checked my e-mail and responded quickly to a few I had received from friends back home, letting them know I had arrived in Forks relatively safe and in one piece. I had already sent a lengthy reply to Renee, sharing the details of my arrival and my new car, last night after my joy ride.

I glanced at the clock on my bedside table, and almost gasped at the time. That pathetic twenty gallon water heater had worked like a champ because that shower was much longer than I thought. It was already seven thirty, and I hadn't eaten yet. I stood up and stretched my hands up high, to the non existent sun, letting all my nervousness drain down, down and mostly out. I quickly ducked into the bathroom to arrange my air dried hair. Deciding that the humidity would be my enemy today, and probably most of the days here, I pulled half my hair back into a simple silver hair clip given to me by my mother years ago, leaving a few strands to frame my face. I checked my ensemble in the mirror; not too many wrinkles...I'm good.

Breakfast consisted of Blueberry Pop-Tarts smeared with butter. Don't judge me, it's delicious. Chasing the pop-tarts with a glass of milk, I grabbed my back pack and keys and raced to the door. Just as I reached for the door handle, I caught glimpse of a note posted there. Apparently Charlie couldn't handle saying good bye or even wishing me a good day at school. He had left VERY early this morning to go for a run at the high school's track before heading to work, at least that is what the note conveyed. The obvious tension Charlie was feeling towards me starting a new school, after twelve years with the same classmates, caused my own feelings to rear their ugly heads. Great.

The drive to Forks High School was nothing of note. I knew the way, even after years of not being here. I took the turns and hills carefully, not wanting the horses to gallop too hard and spin me in a mud puddle. Before I could recompose myself, I was pulling into the crowded parking lot of the school. I wasn't late, but I wasn't early enough to escape the stares from the few hundred students lingering in the parking lot, waiting for the first bell.

I sat in the seat for a few seconds, trying to mentally prepare myself for the day ahead, that was already marked by the clouds hanging so low in the sky. Taking one last deep breath, I pulled on the hood of my parka and pulled the key out of the ignition, promptly ending the sweet sounds of Nickle Creek. Stepping out of my car, I kept my head down, but even a blind woman could feel such stares upon them, as I was feeling at that moment. I raised my face, as it isn't safe for a klutz to walk around with their head down, and caught many of the stares I felt, head on. Strangely, at first, I realized the stares weren't for the new girl and her frizzy hair, but stares of awe, most likely directed at the beautiful piece of steel at my back. The pride I suddenly felt, puffed out my chest and plastered a small smile on my face. With this new found courage, I slammed the car door closed and took off towards the small sign that told me where the Office was located.

Entering the school, I took a deep breath and released it. That tiny allowance of stolen courage had done it's job. I had made it, out of the parking lot at least. There was no turning back. I had been seen, or rather my car had been seen, so there was no hope of driving back home and pretending I couldn't get the Chevelle to start up. I was here, for the day, for the rest of this anti-climatic school year.

I received my schedule and a cheery smile from the woman who was parked at the front counter, in the spacious office. She informed me her name was Ms. Mason, but I could call her Betty. Must be part of the new age movement that was obviously suffocating, here in Forks. I thanked her for my schedule, gave her a smile and then slid back out into the dim hallway. No need to make friends with the faculty and staff here, my experience was going to be awkward enough.

The first four periods of the day dragged unmercifully on, with no apparent end in site, slowly driving me mad, as the pitter patter of rain drops graced the newly replaced tin roof of this school. I nearly cried out in joy as the bell rang that was to dismiss us all to our lunch period, until I remembered I would be eating alone, if I ate at all. The people that had made their way to introduce themselves to me had been politely accepted, but still kept at a distance. I was the new girl on the block, but my silence and lack of enthusiasm had already made it's mark in their one track minds. I wouldn't be surprised if someone tried to trip me in the cafeteria. Generally that stuff is saved for teeny bopper movies, but I am sure the gods of awkwardness and distress would make an exception for me.

I held back, taking longer than really needed to place my books into my back pack, allowing the rush of students to make their way to the cafeteria, ahead of me. Following slowly behind them, I also trudged through the never ending rain, to the largest building that this school possessed. By the time I made my way into this vast and brightly lit place, the majority of the students of Forks High School were already seated, grazing and gossiping with the people they had been born beside in the tiny hospital only a few miles down the road. I felt like a single grain of rice inside of a salt shaker; obviously different and out of place.

In the brief moments I stood in the door way, I was able to gather a good bit of information. This school did not cater to the cliques that other high schools did. There weren't strategically placed groups of jocks, cheerleaders, nerds, stoners and art freaks. The one award I could hand to them all, was the ingenious mix of style and compatibility they all exuded. Normally my modest outfit of comfortable blue jeans and a fitted white shirt would place me into the lowest caste of the social ladder in a high school. Here, I fit in well, if I wasn't almost glamorous, just basing their acceptance merely on my clothing choice. Being the intelligent person I am, I am well aware that it would take more than a clean shirt to win anyone over. Oh well, here goes nothing.

Trying to find only a shred of the pride and contentment I had felt the night before, I got in and out of the lunch line quickly, emerging with a small salad and bottle of water. Looking straight ahead, while slyly looking around for an empty table, I was nearly drug off my feet by a strong pair of hands. Quickly getting back on my guard, I peered into the face that belonged to the hands that had accosted me so suddenly and found myself staring into the dark blue eyes, almost like stiff, new denim, of Mike Newton. He was in my first two classes that morning and had done his best to keep me entertained and talking to him. I had felt bad for being such a Debbie Downer, but obviously even my dark mood had not smothered the goals Mike had in mind, whatever they may be. This kid was either persistent or crazy.

"Hey Bella! Fancy seeing you here!" He stated smartly as he pulled out a chair while motioning for me to sit down. I quickly glanced at the faces at the already full table, before deciding it was okay to sit here. I placed my salad and water on the table before carefully manuvering into the chair Mike still had both his hands placed on. Only when I was seated and scooted up to the table, did Mike finally sit down in the dark green chair beside me. Chivialry isn't dead afterall, at least not in Forks, Washington.

"Everybody, this is Isabella Swan, but as she VERY quickly informed me, she prefers to be called Bella." Mike went on as I met the smiles and head nods of each person accepting the new information and storing it to their memory. As if to offer peace, I slowly lifted my right hand in a small wave that could have also doubled as an attempt at calling a truce. In only a matter of seconds, yet another person of this community had opened themselves up and stuck out their hand to make me feel welcome and accepted. There was no way I could sit here and continue to be the bitch I had been prepared to be. The acceptance was almost overwhelming, but I did my best to take it all in stride, and be happy about it.

Once the introductions had been made and the conversation quickly drifted elsewhere, I popped the top off my salad and began shaking salt over it. Just as I was about to take the first bite, all the glorious attention was promptly brought back to me when one of the other males, whose name I did not remember, asked "Geez, Bella. Is THAT all you are going to eat? You need some protein, girl. Get back up there and get you a burger!" Before I could open my mouth to respond, Mike saved me again. "Ben, C'mon man. Did you see what Bella rolled into the parking lot with this morning? Any woman who can handle an American Classic like that, obviously has a handle on her dietary needs. Plus, I heard Spinach and chick peas offer more protein that that "burger" you are scarfing down. Now be nice, eat and maybe she'll let us drool on that Chevelle up close and personal after school." he relayed, finishing up with a subtle wink in my direction.

The rest of the lunch period was filled with random chit chat and very pointed questions about my new treasure sitting in the parking lot. I did my best to answer all their questions, mostly just relaying the story Charlie had told me, in reference to restoration of the Chevelle. Everyone was very impressed and a few of the guys asked if they could get Jacob's number, as they all had older model vehicles and wanted nothing more than the put some life back into them. Day two of life in Forks was looking up, thankfully.

*~*

My fifth period class scooted by without much effort on my part. Biology; easy peasy. I've always had a near photographic memory, and Biology is the ideal subject for that talent. Memorization is key, if not the only relevant skill necessary. Needless to say, it'd be yet another flawless 'A' on my quarterly report.

I began to gather my books up as the bell finished it's monotnous tone, while going over the end of the lunch period, in my head.

_It was mostly uneventful, the guys chortling on about my sweet baby nestled in it's parking spot, under the great clouds of doom. The girls; well, girls are girls. They pretended to eat their pitiful meals while they compared random girl things to other random girl things. These females may not be overly materialistic, but they sure are chatty about a whole lot of nothing. Nail polish, CD's, stolen kisses and flip flops. Hum Dum Conundrum, at it's best! Not that I'm better, or even above it, when the moods strikes me. I chalk it up to being nervous and maybe just a little flighty._

_Lunch ended, food was thrown away, untouched by these partially anorexic girls. Precious food that some child two towns over would be happy to have. I'm not so vain to stretch the story all the way to Ethiopia, like my ruthless mother. "Eat your eggs Bella! Think about those poor kids in Ethiopia who don't have any eggs!!" Renee would crone, if I so much as blinked at my food. I learned well from my mother. Waste not, want not. Oh, how I missed her. _

_I was rolling over these tiny fleeing thoughts about my moral-ridden mother as I absently, yet kindly, dismissed all of my new acquaintances. Something small but huge, all at the same time, brought me to an abrupt present. _

_There was no denying the not so subtle brush of Mike's arm against mine, as we exited the cafeteria. And the husky "I will see you soon, dear Bella." left nothing to Mike's imagination_.

He had sold himself out with a mere seven words. He was hooked. On what is what I am extremely curious to understand. I'm not special, super attractive or even interesting. Hell! I'd even done my best to be frosty for most of the day. His possibly lustful thoughts had me in a daze as I walked slowly to the gymnasiam. He hadn't done anything frightful or even reckless, but I would be extra careful around Mr. Newton.

*~*

**Also, I never like the people who whore out for reviews, but it certainly does feel GREAT when you get one!! So I am going to borrow from the technique of and say...**

**Reviewers get to brush up against Mike Newton, in any way they see fit. :D**


	4. Friday Night Blues

**Please review, I will be needing the encouragement. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own and of the Twilight Saga nor it's Characters. I am merely borrowing it all and twisting it to my pleasure. **

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**Chapter Four: Friday Night Blues**

I need an alarm system in my house  
So I know when people are creeping about  
These people are freaking me out (these days)  
It's getting hectic everywhere that I go  
They wont leave me alone  
There's things they all wanna know

I'm paranoid of all the people I meet  
Why are they talking to me?  
And why can't anyone see?

I just wanna live  
Don't really care about the things that they say  
Don't really care about what happens to me  
I just wanna live

**I Just Wanna Live By Good Charlotte**

*~*

I like volleyball, I promise. It's exciting, challenging, interesting and all around fun. There is only one draw back, quite possibly a huge one. I'm clumsy. Scratch that; I am shamelessly, hopelessly uncoordinated and dangerous on two feet, never mind the edition of a swiftly moving ball.

Dressing out for sixth period Gym was a mix of emotions, as is everything for me, I suppose. I was nervous. Pale legs in baggy gym shorts, my lack of physical grace in life and a large group of people I don't know seemed, gloomy, at best. Then there was the part of me that needed a physical release from the tension and anxiety I have stored up these past months of anticipation. I needed to sweat, to concentrate and to pummel the crap out of something that didn't cry or hit back. Yes, volleyball would be the answer today, no matter the pyramid of doubt that was forming in my pre-frontal cortex. Now I just needed to concentrate on getting Nerve A to properly communicate with Nerves B through Z to get this show on the road.

I emerged from the locker room and took my place amongst the other teenagers, my peers. Without any adeiu, whatsoever, a whistle was blown and the game commenced.

To the joy of the gods of torture, I was serving first. With a silent prayer to whomever was listening, I raised my right arm, with the dingy ball resting placidly on my open palm. With a slight toss, the ball slowly rose into the air, a few feet above my head and with a well aimed swat, it was soaring effortlessly, up, up and straight down. Straight down into the back of another students head; a student that was on my team.

My sudden burst forward to apologize profusely was cut dry as the girl turned to give me the iciest stare I have ever received; Ever. The far reaching chill stopped me in my tracks with wide eyes and a perfect 'O' on my lips. The strangest of emotions were flitting through my mind in rapid succession, while I stood there, slack jawed. There was embarrassment, fear and oddly enough, attraction. This inhumanly beautiful blonde example of female perfection was fierce, but impossibly glamorous. If I felt this awed by her, surely no boy or man, stood a chance. I mean, standing there in such a small amount of time, my fear was interrupted by me questioning my own sexuality. She was just plan hot, with the temperament to match, obviously.

As quickly as I was stunned, I snapped out of it and continued a few steps forward to attempt my apology. Before I made it to the second row of my peers, the girl turned sharply back to the net, and assumed her game stance. It was as if, she'd never been hit with a ball, as if I'd never stood there staring stupidly at her. She was done.

Trying, unsuccessfully, to shake myself out of the stupor, I headed in the direction the ball had flown after sharply contacting the poor girl's head. Upon a quick inspection, the ball was deemed, unusable. Unusable even seemed like an understatement, as the ball had been busted; nothing but a lump of leather and fabric remained. Flabbergasted at my own strength, I took the ball to the seemingly unperturbed coach, ready to offer up another apology. Before I could get the words out of my mouth, I was once again, cut short. "No sweat, Swan. That seems to happen a bit in this gym class. Go toss it in the trash, while I retrieve another one." Coach Reid said, calmly.

After a careful trip to the trash can, I once again assumed my postion on the back line. The disappearance of the coach, into a supply closet in the depths of the gym, gave one girl the courage to turn to me and smile.

"No worries Bella!" She exclaimed, quietly.

Lowering her voice a few octaves, to a barely audible whisper, "Rosalie can be scary for sure, but she's not that big of a deal. A little creepy, way too hot for her own good, or anyone else's. But ultimately, she minds her business. So, no sweat." Even with the precaution of whispering, I swore I saw the tiniest shuffle of weight, from this Rosalie, as if she'd heard exactly what Jessica was mumbling about her.

"Um. Thanks. Uh..." I stammered, just as quietly.

"Jessica. We all ate lunch together today. But it's okay if you don't remember my name. It 's only your first day, and who would expect you to remember everyone's name?" She said brightly, making excuses for my total lack of recall.

"Well, thanks, again Jessica. And sorry. For not remembering and for being a T-total klutz." I replied quietly. "I tried to warn them, Gym just isn't my thing. But I needed the credit, I might as well get it over with." I chuckled, trying to keep it light.

"No. No it's so cool. Don't worry about it." She retorted, like a skilled mediator. "So, since Mike and the boys were dominating the conversation at lunch, I didn't get to ask you much, about your self. So, where exactly did you move here from?"

"I just got here yesterday, from Arizona, where I lived with my mom."

"Ok, very cool." Again, so brightly, I almost winced. "I thought people from Arizona were SO tan. But it's cool, you fit in here perfectly, with all of us Vitamin D deprived people!"

"Uh yeah. I guess."

I was saved from further interrogation or embarrassment, concerning my light complexion by Coach Ried emerging with a fresh volleyball. Cringing I accepted the ball, so that I may attempt at serving again. At least she had the sense to hand it to me, rather than toss it, as she may have with any other non- walking disaster. She catches on quickly.

Same stance, same toss, but this time I concentrated even more on the execution of the actual serve and watched the ball, successfully make it over the net, to ace out at the feet of the right front blocker. Not to miss an opportunity to be cheery, Jessica jumped up and down and made the move to slap me a high five. I returned the gesture and finally let out the breath I'd been holding since the ball left my hands.

*~*

Redressing is never any different than dressing out when it comes to P.E. A group of half naked girls, some very brave naked girls and a cold tiled floor. Needless to say I dressed very quickly, implementing all the girly tricks you learn early in life, when it comes to dressing discretely. After putting on my shirt underneath the cover of my gym shirt, I picked up my book sack and made it stealthily out of the locker rooms.

I stepped outside into the cool, rainy atmosphere of the student parking lot, taking temporary cover under the sidewalk awning. In a well aimed attempt to wait out this rain to make it to my car, I simply forgot my current geographical location. Once I realized it was a wasted effort to wait for it to stop raining in Forks, I stepped forward with a deep breath to prepare for the icy rain on my face. Just as I was about to leave the cover of the awning, a warm hand grabbed my elbow. Swirling around in surprise I nearly fell off the sidewalk, when much to my chagrin, Mike wrapped his arms around my waist, to prevent the imminent crash landing.

"Wow. Um, thanks Mike." I offered grudgingly, with the slightest hint of kindness. Can't go scaring them all off, just yet.

"No problem, Bells, not at all." He said soothingly, using my childhood nickname, without even knowing it.

We stooped there for a few seconds with his arms still around me before I realized exactly what we were doing. My seeming to reciprocate the intimate stance with my hands placed on his upper arms. As quickly as I noticed it I stepped back enough to give us some breathing room, that didn't include the other persons. He seemed a little put off by that, but not nearly enough to satisfy me, so I made to exit the sidewalk again. "Thanks again, Mike. Time to head home now." I said lightly with a little wave, heading out into the rain.

"Well, see that is why I grabbed you to start off with. I was calling your name, but you seemed to be elsewhere. I'm really sorry for startling you, but I wanted to ask you a question." He said with a big smile.

"Ok, Mike. What did you want to ask me?"

"Well, are you going to come back out of the rain? Or do you dig that icy chill rolling down your back?" he asked, with a slightly slyer smile.

Stepping back onto the sidewalk and under the awning, "Ok. And no harm, no foul. What do you want?"

"Well, I know it's only your first day here, but I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me tonight. Get to know your surroundings and all." He asked me, a little less confidently.

"Oh." I paused, trying to gather my bearings, so I could let him down easy and without causing too much damage. "Wow. I really appreciate the offer, but I planned on cooking dinner for Charlie tonight and, well, yeah. But seriously, thanks for offering."

"Well, see I'm not one to take no for answer. I want you to have a good time tonight and get to know us better, as we'd like to get to know you. And this should fit into your plans nicely, as we probably won't even be leaving until after supper time. Do you think you can be ready to go around, say, Nine O'clock?" He retorted back, with his arms crossed lightly over his chest, on his toes, but still pretty darn cute.

Was I ready for this? Ready to try and be social, ready to be out, invited by a boy, who is very obviously interested in me? I don't even know this guy and he wants to take me out on the town?

"Mike, I don't know. I just got here, I don't want to leave my dad alone on my second night here. Plus, I just don't think I am ready to start dating yet. Please take no offense to that, I just want to be honest with you." I told him, hoping he wouldn't completely deflate in front of me.

"Aww. No sweat Bella, it won't be just us anyway. This is going to be a group venture. I'm not sure if you remember them or not, from lunch, but a good handful of people will be hitting the town with us tonight. Jessica, Lauren, Tyler, Ben, Angela and maybe a few others. This is by no means a couples event. I ain't going to lie to you, I'd be more than happy to be coupled up with you, but I'm patient."

"Well, since you put it that way, that doesn't sound to invasive." I replied to his little speech, still thinking as quickly as possible about the pros and cons of this venture.

On one hand I could go home and cook dinner for Charlie for the first time, which I am sure he'd enjoy. Then I could clean up and then head upstairs. I would probably check my email and then, well, do nothing. I would be sitting home for the rest of the weekend, basking in my own pity about my move and having no friends and not knowing anybody.

"Sold!" I exclaimed, maybe a little too brightly because Mike seemed to nearly jump at my voice.

"Oh, well. Awesome Bella! You won't be disappointed, I promise!" He said as he invaded my personal bubble and grabbed both my hands. Seeing my eyes go wider, I am sure, he dropped my hands softly, "Well, be ready at nine, I'll come pick you up. Casual dress is fine, but if you want to smex it up, you can do that too." He rattled of with that sly grin.

"Uh, sure Mike. I'll, um, scrape my closet and see what I got, no promises though!" I said with a laugh, and finally stepped of the sidewalk back into the rain. "See you at nine, good sir."

Finally in the safety of my car, I cranked up the radio, and of course Pitbull was blaring in my ears. Nothing to set the mood for a night with a hormonal, teenage male like the repetitive soundings of "I Know You Want Me". Laughing I turned the volume to the max and was instantly thankful for the tweaking to the sound system Jake had done. I bumped my way out of the now empty parking lot, making my way to the grocery store. Charlie's house was devoid of real food and even the normal cooking amenities. I had my work cut out for my tonight, in more ways than one.

*~*

**A/N: **

**OK, so I never smacked anyone in the head with a Volleyball, or any ball for that matter. But I do love volley ball. And I, myself, have been hit in the face, on more than one occasion. The seniors always considered it mandatory to teach you how to get the ball back over the net without the use of your hands. ;)**

**Reviewers get to smack Rosalie in the back of the head with their own weapon of choice...**


	5. Preparation

**Disclaimer: I do not own and of the Twilight Saga nor it's Characters. I am merely borrowing it all and twisting it to my pleasure. **

**~Breaking my normal pattern of posting song lyrics, I am going to post here, the play list for this chapter. You'll see why, shortly!**

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**.:Halo by Beyonce:.**

**.:That's Not My Name by The Ting Tings:.**

**.:Settlin by Sugarland:.**

**.:Poker Face by Lady Gaga:.**

**Chapter Five: Preparation**

*~*

Mundane things go by much quicker when you are distracted by the anxiety and anticipation of a new experience. Shopping, cooking dinner, and even eating dinner went by in a blur of pleasant smells, savory flavors and next to no conversation between Charlie and me. Scrapping the remnants of the best Pork Milanese I've ever made, into the trash I dared a peek at the clock above the kitchen doorway. It was already Seven- thirty and I still had to shower! I threw my dishes into the dish washer and made my way to the stairs.

"I'll clean up the rest of this when I'm out of the shower, Dad." I told my him, fleetingly.

"No worries, Bells. That was so good, I didn't even notice there were any dirty dishes. Talking about mind blowing!" he gushed, after wiping his mouth. Such a gentleman.

I rushed through my shower, not even bothering with my jam box. I scrubbed myself from head to toe until I was almost shining, I was so squeaky clean. I used that super-awesome Honeysuckle body scrub, so my smell match my mood; bright and happy. I never thought I would be happy about going out with strangers, but I truly needed this social immersion, or so I was convincing myself.

After finishing my entire showering ritual, I exited carefully, and dried off quickly. I hurried into my room and began dressing in my "drying off clothes". Sporting my dark green tank top and a pair of cream coloured gauchos, I made my way down stairs to finish cleaning up the kitchen. Hopefully Charlie wouldn't notice I was sans under garments. The freedom from extra clothing made the drying process much quicker. It also kept me from overheating when using hair styling utensils.

"Nice towel Bella. Are you auditioning for The King and I?" Charlie guffawed at the site of my towel wrapped hair. I smiled back at him and then stuck out my tongue. I didn't want too say much for fear that he would notice I didn't have a bra on and get on a tangent about the Seventies making a reappearance.

Once I was done loading up the dishwasher and wiping down the counters and table, I stole another glimpse at the clock. Eight-thirty; time to get this show on the road. I poured a glass of sweat tea, that I had made once I got home from school, and headed back up the stairs to commence what little beautifying I would be able to manage on my own.

I turned up my radio as loud as I could without being obnoxious and hindering Charlie's basketball game downstairs. The slow and emotional words to Halo came drifting to my ears. Too slow for getting ready, but it would suffice for blow drying my hair. I slapped the diffuser onto my dryer and got to work. Perfecting these waves in this humidity would not be an easy chore. After fifteen minutes of steady work I had a near complete masterpiece on top of my head. Soft waves were drifting down, surrounding my face and caressing my upper back. I put a few hot rollers in my hair to help set in the smoothness and reinforce the waves while I buffed and perfected my face.

With the rollers still in my hair, and my "face on", as Renee always called her lightly applied make-up, I slide Risky Business style into my bedroom. I should have known I would nearly face plant as I tripped over my rug. I righted myself and checked to make sure all my curlers were still in place. Satisfied, I headed for my tiny, under-stocked closet. Noticing that the radio was spitting out that horribly, obnoxious song by the Ting Tings, I turned right around intent on finding something else to get crunk to. Yes, getting crunk was exactly what I needed. Every few minutes I was still giving myself mental reminders that this was a good idea. "That's not my name, that's not my name." I mocked in a screeching voice, as I hit Scan.

I've never been considered a country girl, but there were definitely tendencies there. The craving for sweat tea was high on the list. As if my gods of torture were taking a nap and letting the moon shine brightly on my upcoming adventure, "Settlin" by Sugarland came rocking out of that small box of musical bliss. Nothing like vocal female empowerment to get your blood bubbling! As I combed through my minuscule wardrobe I found myself belting out tidbits of the song here and there. As I held up two shirts to compare to the jeans I'd already put on, I throatily picked up at, _"Take a chance on love and try how it feels...With my heart wide open, now you know I will! Find what it means to be the girl... Change her mind and change her world!"_

After the next run through of the chorus I had picked out a shirt and was ready to switch up; I needed a faster beat! With a quick flick of the scan button I happened upon "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga. It's not normally my beat, but I was pretty much down with anything upbeat at that point. I sat at my vanity to do a few final touch ups to my face when I realized I still had the hot rollers in my hair! I doused my head in hairspray, whilst gagging and began unrolling them fiercely, while dancing in my chair to the song. Once all the rollers were out, I stood up to shake my hair loose and was shaking my ass pretty hard when I recognized some lyrics in the song. I caught back up with the beat and let it roll through my shoulders, down my stomach and around my ass.

_"I won't tell you that I love you, Kiss or hug you.. Cause I'm bluffin' with my muffin.. I'm not lying I'm just stunnin' with my love-glue-gunning--"_ I rolled out with the perfect trashy, pop-star pout. I was still singing, bent down in a perfect imitation of Lady Gaga's gaudy dance moves, when I heard a soft laugh behind me.

Shooting straight up and turning in the same motion I found Mike leaning, ever so comfortably, in my door frame, with one hell of a shit eating grin. "I had no idea you were so talented, Ms. Swan. Now if you are done pre-gaming, I have a cool leather seat waiting on that gyrating ass of yours to keep it warm."

If I hadn't been so caught up in my good mood and embarrassed as all get out, that was the kind of comment my Mama taught me to bitch slap a man over. But being the ever forgiving person that I am, I walked to the stereo, turned it off and just smiled, "Sure thing, boss man. I'll be right down."

I really couldn't be mad, not at Mike. It was my fault time had gotten away from and I wasn't waiting down stairs when he arrived. Now Charlie, he is a whole different story. Forgiveness quickly tore through that thought as well, since he isn't used to having a female in the house, who could have been half naked when he sent the young man upstairs. Chalking it all up to the beginning of an interesting evening, I donned my favourite lip gloss, grabbed my hand bag and bounded down the stairs.

Halfway down I remembered my lights were still on and the hot rollers were still plugged in, so I detoured back upstairs, of course tripping over my own feet, and took care of the fire hazard and total waste of electricity. My mother also taught me to be frugal, even though she was the worst at wasting. All those eggs she made me eat for the starving Ethiopians? Yeah, she could have sent a tractor trailer full of bread down there, for all she wasted, by simply not putting the twist tie back on. We had bread pudding for dessert or breakfast more often than I would have liked, to try and use the dried out bread.

Reminiscing aside, I was ready. I was going out, with a boy. I was going out with a group of people, who I didn't know from Adam. I didn't even know where I was going, but I was going. And I was actually happy about it. I kissed Charlie on the cheek, told him I'd see him by Two O'clock, and slid out the door on Mike's generously offered arm.

*~*

**Reviewers get to shake their asses to Lady Gaga, with or without a hottie watching. Your choice. 8-D**


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